Still In Love?
by Rubyyy
Summary: (AU/Family) Yi Jeong and Ga Eul have been married for almost 22 years now. Are they still in love? Their children attempt to find out.
1. All Out Of Love?

**Still in Love?**

**Disclaimer: The story belongs to me; the characters (except their AU children) will never be.**

**...**

**Chapter One: All Out Of Love?**

It was an average evening at the So residence. As the lady of the house washed up in the kitchen after dinner, the two So siblings sat together on the couch in the living room, watching television.

(Well, at least they tried to.)

"Stop flipping the channel, Mi Sun-ah!"

"But _oppa_, I'm so bored! I don't want to watch soccer! Can we watch something else, please? I want to watch my favourite cartoon…"

"YAH! Give me the remote!"

"NO! I want to watch…"

"YAH! GIVE IT!"

"NO! OMMAAAAA! OPPA IS BULLYING ME AGA-mmmmmm!"

"KIDS! Stop arguing!" Their mostly calm, but slightly flustered mother yelled from the kitchen, "Stop before your father gets home and sees you like this! And you, So Tae Hyun! Get your paw off your _dongsaeng_'s mouth!"

Tae Hyun reluctantly removed his hand from his younger sister's mouth, and grabbed the remote from her hands as she gagged. 8-year-old Mi Sun stuck out her tongue at her lanky, spiky haired older brother, folded her arms indignantly, and pouted.

"I wish _unnie_ were here, and not studying so far away in America," the pigtailed girl mumbled, but still loud enough for her brother to hear, "You would be in BIGGER trouble then, _oppa_."

Tae Hyun smirked. "But Mi Yun _noona_ isn't here, so there. _I_ get to watch soccer."

He happily settled down to watch his soccer game but there was an odd silence. Turning his head to peer at his younger sister, he noticed her chin starting to tremble.

_Oh no,_ he thought to himself with a cringe, _she's going to…_

"WAHHHHHHH… OMMA…."

"_Aish_!" he cursed under his breath, jumping up and taking immediate action to pacify his younger sister, which consisted of lots of begging. "Sun-ie yah, Sun-ie… don't cry, please! Don't…"

Just then, the front door slammed, right on cue. Tae Hyun's heart started beating in time with the sound of footsteps against the marble floor, that were approaching the living room.

_Any… moment… now…_ he thought to himself, squeezing his eyes tight.

"What's going on here?" the gruff voice of his father demanded from behind the squabbling siblings.

"_Appa_!" Mi Sun bawled, pulling herself up on the couch and throwing her hands around her father's neck, "_Oppa_ is bullying me again…"

"So Tae Hyun."

The stern, composed tone of his father's voice sent chills down his spine. The young lad sighed defeatedly and turned around, opening his eyes to meet the piercing ones of his father's.

"Yes, _appa_," he squeaked.

"How old are you?"

"I'll be 16 in June, _appa_."

His father continued to pat the sniffling Mi Sun on the back. "How old is Sun-ie?"

"She's eight years old."

"What is a 16 year old doing, bullying an eight-year-old? That's quite unbecoming of an older brother."

Tae Hyun hung his head low in semi-remorse. "Yes, _appa_."

"Apologize to your sister. Now." ordered the older man, turning around so that Mi Sun was facing her older brother. She let out a little teary sniffle.

"Mi Sun-ie, I'm sorry…" he began, somewhat genuinely apologetic, looking up at her. Just then, a triumphant smirk pulled at the edges of the little girl's mouth, a gesture that irked Tae Hyun greatly.

He decided to change the script.

"…I'm sorry that you're younger than me, and therefore easy to bully…"

"APPA!"

"YAH! SO TAE HY-"

"Oh, _chagiya_, you're back? I didn't hear you come in, the dishwasher was too noisy."

Yi Jeong cleared his throat, threw a dagger stare at his son, and carried his sniffling youngest daughter to his wife.

"Yes, and the first thing I have to come home to is your son bullying our pearl," he muttered as he handed Mi Sun over to her.

"Oh? Excuse me?" Ga Eul's voice went up a notch and her eyes widened in disbelief, "_My_ son? _Yah_, he's your son too. Don't get me started…"

"Get _you_ started?" Yi Jeong yelled, "I shouldn't even be involved in this! I just got home from work, I'm tired, and all I want is some peace and quiet! Is that so difficult?"

Mi Sun started to whimper again, on hearing her father's angry voice. Ga Eul hugged the little girl tighter.

"Keep your voice down, Mi Sun's _appa_," Ga Eul said evenly, her eyes locked coolly onto his, "You're making her cry again."

Yi Jeong's face twitched. Without another word, he strode briskly towards his study, and slammed the door shut.

Tae Hyun ran a hand through his hair and gave it a few tugs, a childhood habit he had when he was flustered. His mother walked up to him and gently removed his hand from his hair with her own free one.

"Tae Hyun-ah, don't do that," she gently told the teen.

"I'm sorry, _omma_," said Tae Hyun quietly, his conscience duly pricked, "I shouldn't have provoked _appa_."

Ga Eul managed a smile and nudged her son's cheek. "Silly boy. You always do the things you're not supposed to. I accept your apology, but you should apologize to your father too, when he's cooled down some. And if you're _really_ sorry," she added, holding a now-sleepy Mi Sun up against him, "You should help put your little sister to sleep."

…

"_Oppa_?"

"Hmmm?"

The now-reconciled siblings lay side by side on Mi Sun's princess bed, staring up at her glow-in-the-dark starry ceiling.

"Do you think _omma_ and _appa_ still love each other?" Mi Sun wondered out loud, blinking at the stars.

Tae Hyun turned to his younger sister in the dark, a quizzical look on his face.

"Sun-ie yah, why do you ask?'

"Because I don't see them hug or kiss like Woo Bin-_samchon_ and Jae Kyung-_imo_ do. Or hold hands like Jun Pyo-_samchon_ and Jan Di-_imo_."

Tae Hyun looked back up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Well… just because you don't see _omma_ and _appa_ do all that, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. They can show their love to each other in different ways…"

"Yeah," she whispered, cuddling up against her older brother, "But I don't see them do _anything_ anymore."

Tae Hyun pondered that last line for a few moments. Just as he was about to ask Mi Sun to validate her comment, he heard her gently breathing deeply against his shoulder. She was now fast asleep.

He got up from his sister's bed as stealthily as he could (which wasn't a problem, since she was a deep sleeper), covered her with her favorite Hello Kitty blanket, and tiptoed out the room, softly closing the door behind him.

As he walked down the hallway towards his room, a picture that he passed everyday suddenly caught his eye. He paused in front of it for a moment, and admired his parents' younger selves, posing happily in their wedding gear.

_Why don't I see them this happy nowadays?_ He wondered to himself. _Don't they love each other anymore?_


	2. What Can I Do To Make You Love Me?

**Chapter Two: What Can I Do To Make You Love Me?**

"Yo, Hyun-ah. Thinking about Ria again?"

A distracted Tae Hyun was jolted out of his thoughts, thanks to his best friend, Jinsu, sitting across him, with a chessboard between them. It was the day after his parents had their argument, and he was spending the afternoon at Jinsu's place after school.

"Yah, _hyung_. Don't spout nonsense. I'm not thinking about Ria," he said, fleetingly thinking of the girl in his class he had a crush on.

Jinsu raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? That's a first then. Hurry up, it's your move."

Tae Hyun stared half blankly at the chessboard.

"Jinsu-yah."

"Hmmm?"

"How do you know your parents love each other?"

Jinsu snapped his head up, slightly startled at the unusual question.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, in a similar faux accent as his father's, "What kind of question is that, man?"

Tae Hyun rubbed his chin, quietly realizing he'd missed a spot when he tried to shave in the morning. "Well, Mi Sun asked me that last night. She said that your dad and mom hug and kiss a lot, and that's how she knows they love each other. But with my _appa_ and _omma_…"

"What, they don't get it on enough?"

"YAH. Shut up! I don't even want to… go _there_." Taehyun shuddered at the thought.

"Go where, Tae Hyun-ah?" Jae Kyung asked, as she breezed into the recreation room, holding cold barley tea for the boys. "Are you going somewhere else after this?"

Her sudden presence made Tae Hyun jump. "Oh! _Imo_. No, I'm not, I…"

"_Omma_," Jinsu interrupted, a cheeky glint in his eye, "How do you know _appa_ loves you?"

"_Hyung_! Don't…" an embarrassed Tae Hyun reached over the chessboard and tried to shush his friend. The board shifted a little from the sudden movement, making a black pawn tip over and roll across the floor towards Jae Kyung. He sighed and went to pick up the escaped piece.

Jae Kyung put the cups on the table, picked up the pawn and handed it back to Tae Hyun, who bowed to her in thanks. "What kind of question is that?" she asked her son, somewhat taken aback, yet somewhat amused to have been posed such an… _interesting_ question.

Jinsu smirked at a visibly mortified Tae Hyun. "Well, I was just curious, _omma_. I mean, you and _appa_ have been together a long time…"

"But it doesn't mean that we don't love each other!" Jinsu's mother retorted, a little indignant, "If… _that's_ what you mean, son."

Tae Hyun reached up and tugged at his hair, feeling uncomfortable at the whole conversation. All he wanted was for Jinsu to just _shut up_.

"Of course not, _omma_," Jinsu went on, feigning innocence, "I know _appa_ loves you, and you love him too. You tell each other that all the time. Hmm, how about when you were first dating? What did he do or say?"

Jae Kyung chuckled. The boys looked at each other curiously.

"I don't think you want to hear your _omma_, your _imo_ talk about her past," she said to the two boys, her eyes beginning to glaze over as her mind was transported to the 'good 'ol days', "There's just so much to go into…"

Jinsu cleared his throat. "It's okay, _omma_. Just… maybe one example of how _appa _showed his love for you back then?"

"Well," Jae Kyung said after a few moments of pondering, "Before we got married, when we had just gotten together, we'd talk on the phone a lot, and we saw each other whenever we could. Your _appa_ also used to write stuff on his 'mini-hompy' whenever he traveled, saying how much he missed me and such. So that's one way I know…"

" 'Mini-hompy?' " Tae Hyun repeated, the strange word settling itself on his tongue. "What's that? Is that like a book or something?"

"Ah, you kids. This was way before your time. A 'mini-hompy' was a personal website on the Internet where people can post things like diary entries and photos and share that with other people."

"Oh, I get it," Jinsu remarked, suddenly appearing to understand, "It's like 'Stream', where we stream all our information onto one page for our friends to look at. Say so earlier, _omma_."

Jae Kyung stuck her tongue out at her teenage son. "Well, whatever you punks call it nowadays, but back in my time, we had that. Your _samchons_ and _imos_ all wrote back and forth on each other's pages. It was one way for us to keep up with each other…"

"Wait, _imo_," Tae Hyun cut in, his mind churning at the possibilities, "Does it mean that my parents also had this 'mini-hompy' thing too?"

Jae Kyung's eyes lit up at the memory. "Yeah! Actually your _omma_ was quite into it. She used to decorate her page really nicely, with flowers and butterflies and such. Your _appa_… I think he had a page. But I can't remember much about it now."

Suddenly, Tae Hyun realized how little he actually knew about his parents' backstory, and their past.

…

The afternoon's revelation stayed with Tae Hyun for the rest of the evening. He didn't dare ask either of them about the 'mini-hompy' over dinner, unsure about the kind of reaction he might get from either of them, since things were still a little sore from the previous day's events. His parents were cordial with each other, but still he felt that something wasn't right.

Now, as he sat in his room, his pen poised over his geometry homework, his mind began to wander again, only to be interrupted by the sudden blare of his cell phone ring tone. He picked up the vibrating phone, glanced at the screen, and killed the song before it went into the chorus.

"Oh, _hyung_," Tae Hyun casually said into the phone.

"Hyun-ah," Jinsu responded over the other end, "Guess what?"

"Did you get locked out of your room again?" he smirked, knowing that it was pretty possible, since that happened often. (It happened so often that even he had a key to Jinsu's room, just in case.)

"No, dummy," said the other voice, quite matter-of-factly, "I found your parents' mini-hompies."

Hearing that piece of news almost made Tae Hyun fall off his seat. "What? How?"

He heard his best friend chuckle smugly over the other end. "Well, let's just say that I've inherited some of my father's resourcefulness, and connections."

"But it's been so long! Do they actually still exist?"

"I managed to track down the archives, Hyun," Jinsu replied, his voice getting slightly impatient, "It's a long story, and I'll have to kill you if I tell you how I managed to find them… so just thank me and check your email, okay?"

Tae Hyun scampered across the room to his computer table and frantically typed in his email username and password into his email browser.

"T-thanks, _hyung_, I really appreciate it," he stammered into the phone, as he waited for the page to load up.

"You can thank me properly by putting in a good word for me to your _noona_," Jinsu replied mischievously, "She wouldn't talk to me since the last time I tried to ask her out…"

Tae Hyun hung up on his best friend. He was on his sister's side on that one.

As the page loaded up and Jinsu's email header appeared on the screen, he stopped himself from clicking on it to read it first. Instead, he picked up the phone, and put in a call to America.

…

"So, Jin actually managed to find appa and omma's 'mini-hompies'?"

Tae Hyun shrugged into the webcam at his older sister, Mi Yun, whom he was video conferencing with. "He's only sent me _appa's_ so far. I didn't ask him about _omma's_. He was talking about asking you out again, so…"

The short-haired girl in his video feed with a striking resemblance to their mother laughed out loud and shook her head, her bangs swishing against her forehead. "That Jin, he never seems to give up, or take 'no' for an answer. But now he might not actually send you the other missing piece of the puzzle…"

"Oh," Tae Hyun grinned knowingly at Mi Yun, "I'll have my ways of extracting the information from him."

His older sister started mock-biting her nails. "Should I be scared?"

Tae Hyun laughed at his sister's dramatic flair. "You probably should be. Anyway, have you gotten the email I sent over?"

"I have," she replied, averting her eyes for a moment to look at something else on the screen, "I've not read it yet, though. I'll do so later, but read it out loud for me now, Hyun. I like listening to you read. Sometimes you sound a bit like _appa _when you do_. _You have his dulcet tone."

Tae Hyun smiled, and highlighted the first part of the email with his cursor. He began to read it out loud.

_Busy day again at the museum. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth continuing what I do. As much as it's an honor for me to continue my family's work, all I really want to do is to use my hands to create. It's been a while since I last sat at my wheel in my workshop. I miss the feeling of raw clay between my fingertips._

_I also miss my girl. It's been a while since I last saw her… Ga Eul called me a few days ago and my spirit soared just hearing her voice over the phone. I love the effect she has on me. I just hate having to be away from her all the time. I can't wait to see her again… Ga Eul-yang, wait for me…_

"He must've been really busy to not have seen _omma_ in a while," Tae Hyun commented, after he finished reading that section.

Mi Yun nodded, her cheek bobbing against the fist she was leaning on. "Well, it's nothing new, huh? Read me something else."

Her brother scrolled down the page a little more, and settled on another part.

_2 more days till I see Ga Eul-yang! She sent me a text message yesterday and that really made my day. I miss holding her hand, and feeling her head comfortably resting on my shoulder. I miss her so much…_

"Wow, I didn't know _appa_ was so expressive," Mi Yun murmured, appearing visibly amazed as she listened to her father's words through her brother, "He doesn't seem to show it much now."

"There's lots more, _noona_. Jinsu-_hyung_ sent me about 20 pages of this mini hompy thing," Tae Hyun said, scrolling down the page. "The amazing thing about it is that this was all public, meaning that even his friends could read it! I didn't think _appa_ was so… open," he mused out loud, thinking about his now-private, sometimes brooding father.

"Times change, I guess," his sister replied, somewhat wisely, "And people change as they grow older. But anyway, _dongsaeng, _what are you gonna do with all this? Are you just going to keep it?"

A lightbulb suddenly went off above Tae Hyun's head. Mi Yun scrunched her nose at her little brother. She knew that look too well.

"I think we should remind our parents about how they used to feel about each other…" he grinned back at Mi Yun, a conspirational look in his eye. His older sister merely laughed, and winked at him. She knew better than to try to dissuade him when he had a plan.

"Whatever you do," she warned, half jokingly, "Just don't get yourself kicked out of the house."


	3. How Do I Love Thee?

**Chapter Three: How Do I Love Thee?**

Morning came around once again, and the sun made itself known by streaming its rich, golden beams through the windows, resting on Ga Eul's lying form. The warmth of the sun's rays soon woke her up. Her eyelids fluttered open tentatively, her eyes adjusting to the light.

Ga Eul stretched and yawned. Turning to her left, she found the other side of the bed empty, again. _He left for Busan early this morning_, she remembered. It was nothing new, really. Yi Jeong traveled around the country for work all the time. But it didn't mean she was used to it.

She pulled the covers further over her body, suddenly feeling cold, despite the warmth of the sunlight against her skin. Ga Eul missed having Yi Jeong near her, and having him cuddle her how he used to when they were dating, and when they first got married. Even though they were older now, it didn't mean they had to stop being romantic. They still had feelings, didn't they?

She reluctantly got up and shuffled to the bathroom. As she reached for her toothbrush on the sink, she looked up and she saw a typed note pasted a little haphazardly on the bathroom mirror:

"_Ga Eul-yang, I want you to be the first person I see when I wake up, and the only one I hold when I go to bed at night…"_

Her hand paused in mid-air as that familiar term of endearment lingered in her mind. Ga Eul-yang. _Ga Eul-yang._

"Ga Eul-yang,"she whispered out loud. The cadence of it surprised her. She never knew how beautiful it actually sounded.

Ga Eul hadn't heard this name since… _such_ a long time ago. She hadn't been called this in longer. Her identity had evolved through the different stages of life, and she began to lose a little more of her self each time she connected with others, and each time she brought a new person into the world. She was no longer her own person; she's someone's wife, and someone's mother. This, however, reminded her that she was once someone's love… and still _is_?

She reached out for the note and gingerly held it in her hands for a while, reading the note over and over, trying to hear Yi Jeong's voice in her head as she did so.

…

But at that very point of time, Yi Jeong's voice did not hold the same tenderness Ga Eul longed to hear.

"Yes, I've already told you that I'm saving the three porcelain pieces for the Copenhagen exhibit in November…" he said curtly over the phone from his Busan office, to a business associate back in Seoul. He paused for a while to listen to the reply, and his forehead furrowed in confusion.

"What? But doesn't…? How could this…? No, listen here," Yi Jeong demanded firmly, wagging his finger in the air, as if the other person were right in front of him, "We've already agreed on this. Don't go back on your word now. I want those three pieces delivered to my office, by hook or by crook… Yes, you have three weeks… Just make sure it gets done."

As Yi Jeong hung up, he felt his head starting to spin_. This is not a good way to start the morning,_ he thought to himself, rubbing his temples. Maybe his kids were right; he _was _working too hard. He was also definitely guilty of not spending enough time at home.

Yi Jeong sighed and leaned back against his leather chair. He needed to restore some balance in his life again. At least, once this busy period was over.

He picked up his briefcase from the floor, placed it on his mahogany worktable and unlatched it. Opening up the case, the first thing that caught his eye was a white piece of paper neatly clipped between the pages of a notebook, its ends sticking out. Curious, he slid it out from between the pages, and began to read the neatly typed lines on it:

"_Sunbae, no matter where you may be, you are always in my heart. I long for the day you'll be by my side again, with your hand in mine, and our bodies intertwined."_

Yi Jeong's eyes widened. _Did Ga Eul write this?_ He wondered to himself._ But she hasn't called me 'sunbae' in a long time. Not since... we got married, because she started calling me Jeong-ah. But after Mi Yun came along… _He shook his head and managed a smirk. _We're in our 40s, pushing 50 in a few years, and she still wants to be lovey-dovey with me. Cheeky woman._

Yi Jeong put down the piece of paper in his hand and allowed his mind to wander. Those days felt so long ago, when they were young and in love. He _still_ loved Ga Eul, of course. But they've been together for so long, that their love has… changed. Evolved into something more… natural. Comfortable. _Normal?_

He looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and read it again. His heart beat a little faster as his eyes took in each word, and as his brain assembled its meaning in his mind.

Yi Jeong subconsciously placed his hand over his chest and squeezed his shirt lightly. Because his heart suddenly began to ache, just that little bit.

…

"Tae Hyun-ah! Help me set the table, please. Your father will be back anytime now."

"Just one more goal, _omma_!" Tae Hyun pleaded, as he maneuvered the video games console in his hand. His eyes were intently on the screen as his appointed soccer player weaved between his opponents, focused on the goal post before him.

"That's what you said 10 minutes ago, young man!" Ga Eul yelled, peeking her head out of the kitchen, "I want you here, NOW!"

Tae Hyun reluctantly clicked on the pause button and threw the console against the couch. "But I was _so_ close, omma!" the lad whined as he dragged his feet into the kitchen, towards the cutlery cupboard, "I was going to get that goal!"

"It's not going anywhere, silly _oppa_," Mi Sun cheerily piped up, from the corner of the kitchen where she was diligently folding napkins for the dinner placing, "You can always go back to it later."

His younger sister's insolent form of address fired him up. "What did you call me, _pabo_?" Tae Hyun challenged, feeling his body getting tense. He gritted his teeth just as Mi Sun's chin started to tremble, as it usually did before she…

"OMMAAAA!" she bawled, "OPPA C-CALLED ME…"

Ga Eul put the ladle down she was holding, turned off the stove, and rushed to comfort Mi Sun. "Shhh, shhh, baby. I heard very well what your brother called you," she said, very intentionally, eyeing her older son. "I really don't wish to repeat myself, Tae Hyun-ah, and I don't want your father walking in on you two fighting like this again, okay?"

"Whatever," Tae Hyun muttered as he turned his back and reached for the side plates on the shelf, "_Appa_ never seems to be happy about anything nowadays. It's like he's forgotten how to be happy."

Before Ga Eul could say anything more, he shuffled out the door to the dining area. Her gaze lingered at the doorway for a few moments, before she turned her attention back to a sniffling Mi Sun. As she smoothed the little girl's hair, she couldn't help but contemplate her son's words. _Has Yi Jeong really forgotten how to be happy?_ she wondered. As much as Ga Eul hated to admit it, she did feel that way too, sometimes.


	4. How Did We Ever Meet?

**Chapter Four: How Did We Ever Meet?**

"So, how did the first phase go?" Mi Yun inquired, in between bites of a banana.

Tae Hyun sighed at the webcam and scratched his head. "I don't know if it worked, _noona_," he admitted honestly, "_Appa_ was away for work the past two days, and didn't come back till earlier. They didn't seem to talk much still. I don't know what happened in between."

His sister finished the last of her banana and reached to throw the skin away, off screen. "Are you sure you put the excerpts in obvious places?"

Tae Hyun gave his sister a 'Are you serious?' look. "Is the bathroom mirror not obvious enough?"

"Well," Mi Yun retorted, "You know how groggy _omma_ can get in the morning. Maybe she didn't even look at the mirror."

Her younger brother pouted. "It's not as if she's blind."

"Whatever the case," Mi Yun said, "You'll have to think of another way to get some of these things that they wrote in their 'mini-hompies' across to each other. Maybe you'll just have to put these notes in more obvious places?"

Before Tae Hyun could answer his sister back, his bedroom door flung open and Mi Sun flew into the room.

"Oppaaaaa!" she chirped, skipping over to him, "What are you doing?"

"Sun-ie yah!" Mi Yun greeted over the webcam, upon hearing her younger sister's voice, "_Annyeong!"_

Mi Sun's eyes lit up at the sight of her older sister on the computer screen. "_Unnie_!" She shrieked, crawling up onto her brother's lap for a better look, "I miss you!"

"I miss you too, baby girl!" her older sister cooed, "How have you been? Have you been a good girl and been listening to everyone?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "I have been, _unnie_! Except," she said, turning to Tae Hyun to stick her little tongue out at him, "_Oppa_ has been a big bully to me, a lot."

"Yah! You-" Tae Hyun growled, almost throwing Mi Sun off his lap.

"Don't!" Mi Yun said in a firm voice, "Don't start, Hyun-ah. You have to stop letting her get to you like that. You're the older one, you know. Be more magnanimous."

Tae Hyun turned to Mi Sun and sneered at her, and she, in turn, wiggled her tongue out at him again.

Suddenly, Tae Hyun had a brainwave. A smile tugged at the edges of his face, and Mi Sun's round eyes turned even rounder.

"Mi Sun-ah," he said with an angelic smile, his voice suddenly turning kind and gentle, "How about doing your dear darling _oppa_ a favor?"

…

The next morning was a challenging one for the Sos. Mi Sun had thrown an uncharacteristic tantrum and refused to get into the school bus, insisting only that her _appa_ send her to school. This change in routine frustrated Yi Jeong greatly, but it was just as well that he didn't have to fly anywhere today. Also, he could never say no to spending time with his pearl.

Mi Sun's temperament took a 180 degree turn the moment she was packed into the front seat of Yi Jeong's car, and began to hum to herself as she played with the seat belt over her.

"Sun-ie yah," Yi Jeong chided, "Don't play with the seat belt."

"_Appa,_" Mi Sun said brightly, looking up at her father with her round, chocolate eyes, "How did you and _omma_ meet?"

Yi Jeong was rather taken aback by the random question that had just emerged from his younger daughter's mouth.

"Uhh, why do you… ask, my baby pearl?" He stammered, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

She continued to gaze at him adoringly. "I just want to know, _appa_. Yong Yong told me once that her _appa _and _omma_ met at a play… he was Tarzan, and she was Jane!"

Yi Jeong couldn't help but chuckle. Trust the Gus to tell their own young daughter, Yong Lim (affectionately known as Yong Yong), such a tall tale. Though it probably wasn't too far from the truth either…

"…And then, Jin Kwang _oppa_ told me yesterday at lunch that his _appa_ met his _omma_ at a traffic light junction, and he picked up the handkerchief that she dropped!"

Yi Jeong just had to roll his eyes. It seemed like Woo Bin was no better.

"Well…" his voice trailed, trying to decide what to tell her, "Your _omma_ and I met a long time ago…"

"How, _appa_, how?" Mi Sun asked, her little voice rising with excitement, "Was she a princess? Did you save her from a dragon? And then after you saved her, you both lived 'happily ever after'?"

Yi Jeong reached over to poke his little pearl in her side, and she giggled at his touch. "You've been reading too many fairy tales again, haven't you, baby pearl?" he said, "That kind of thing doesn't happen in real life."

"Oh?" Mi Sun tilted her head, appearing to be thinking about something, "But wasn't _omma_ your saving grace?"

_Saving grace._ The two words resonated within him, echoing in the depths of his being.

Her father cleared his throat and wiped his brow. "W-who told you that, baby pearl?" he asked, glancing into the side mirror as he reversed into a lot in front of her school.

His youngest daughter shrugged, almost nonchalantly. "There's always some sort of saving grace in every love story, I guess. Like that pretty show from many years ago, 'Enchanted'! I watched it with _unnie_ when she was back for holidays! I liked it when Giselle saved Robert…"

Yi Jeong had tuned out his daughter after hearing the words 'saving grace'. As Mi Sun nattered on in the parked car, Yi Jeong let the two words rest upon his heart. He hadn't used those words to describe his wife in a long time.

…

"_Omma?"_ Tae Hyun said, as he tentatively slid himself on top of a barstool behind the kitchen counter later that afternoon, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, darling," his mother replied, as she stirred the _ddeokguk_ (rice cake soup) in a pot on the stove, "But let me ask _you_ something first: have you finished your maths homework?"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Yes, _omma_. I finished it after I got home."

"Okay then," Ga Eul glanced at her son, but continued to stir the _ddeokguk_, "Fire away."

Tae Hyun grinned at his mother and waggled his eyebrows. "How did you and _appa_ meet?"

Ga Eul's smiling eyes curved a little and she broke into a shy smile. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh…" he shrugged in reply, "I just wanted to know. I don't think I've asked you this before."

His mother turned off the stove and wiped her hands on her apron. "It's quite a long story, really. I'm not sure if you'd want to hear all of it."

"Then tell me the abridged version," Tae Hyun insisted, resting his chin on his palm, "I'm all ears."

Ga Eul smiled. "Well, your father was always well known among people our age, since he was part of the famous F4 back then. We met because your Jan Di-_imo_ met Jun Pyo-_samchon_. If they hadn't met…"

"Then you wouldn't have met _appa_?" her son finished.

"Maybe," she shrugged, turning back to stir the _ddeokguk_, "But I really wasn't interested in your father, you know. He wasn't entirely my type."

"Then what changed your mind?"

Ga Eul just smiled and continued stirring. She had everything to say in reply, yet nothing, at that point.

Both mother and son remained silent for a while.

"But he saved you, didn't he?" Tae Hyun ventured, breaking the silence, indirectly referring to the diary entry where she wrote about him saving her from a kamikaze skier on the slopes.

"Once or twice," Ga Eul replied, without missing a beat, "He just happened to be at the right place at the right time."

Tae Hyun wasn't satisfied with the way his mother was answering him. It felt too… superficial.

"Do you still love him?"

Those five words stopped Ga Eul in her tracks.

Tae Hyun leaned in closer to look at his mother. "_Omma_?"

Ga Eul took in a breath and reached for some bowls on the side to scoop in the food. "What a silly question, Hyun-ah," she said, slightly breathless, and averting her son's gaze, "Come, take these bowls to the table. Your father will be home soon."

Reluctantly, Tae Hyun decided not to push his questioning any further. He slid off the stool and went to help his mother.


	5. Are You Listening?

**Chapter Five: Are You Listening?**

**A/N: Do listen to the song that's listed in the middle of the chapter, before reading that portion, for the fullest effect ;) Read it s-low-ly haha, and try to match it with the song. (Please also remove the spaces and enter the proper link to the video in another browser.) Enjoy. **

**...**

Later that evening, the So sibling trio had another video conference.

"Okay you two," said older sister Mi Yun, "Update me on the second phase."

"_Appa_ wouldn't tell me how he met _omma_," Mi Sun pouted, resting her chin on her palms. "I used that phrase that _oppa_ told me to say, and I said it to _appa_, but he just kept quiet..."

"_She is the love of my life, she is my saving grace,"_ Tae Hyun added, reading from one of their father's mini-hompy posts.

Mi Yun looked thoughtful. "That might not be a bad thing, Sun-ie yah. You might have made him think a little. Good job. Hyun?"

Tae Hyun shifted Mi Sun a little on his lap, so that he could see his older sister on the screen. "_Omma_ was more open with me. She said that they met through Jan Di-imo and Jun Pyo-samchon… but that's all I got. I used the 'saving' thing on her as well, but I didn't get a reaction, until…" he trailed.

"What?" Mi Yun demanded, "What did you ask?"

Her younger brother sighed. "I asked her if she still loved _appa_."

Both sisters slapped their foreheads.

"And that was relevant, how?" the sister in the computer screen asked, "Why did you ask that?"

"I just needed to know, okay?" Tae Hyun said in defense, "It just hasn't seemed that way lately. I only wanted to make sure," he mumbled.

Mi Yun sighed. "I think we all know innately that our parents _do_ love each other. We're just frustrated that they don't show it. But we have to remember that they each have their own love language…"

"Love language?" Mi Sun asked, "Like French?"

The two older siblings laughed. "Not exactly, Sun-ie," Mi Yun said, taking on her scholarly self, "That's something I learned in one of my classes recently. Everyone has their own way of showing and receiving love, like using words of affirmation, spending quality time, giving or receiving gifts…"

"That's definitely _my_ love language," quipped Tae Hyun.

Mi Yun stuck her tongue out at her comedian brother. "Anyway, the point is, maybe if we could find some way to tap into their love languages, and incorporate that into what we're doing now…"

"…We might hit a home run?"

"In other words," the older sister smiled at her silblings, "Most probably."

…

[Soundtrack: **Baker King Kim Tak Gu OST - Kyuhyun – Hope Is A Dream That Doesn't Sleep** ( youtube dot com / watch?v=McxUA-aazRU )]

"_Do you still love him?"_

That question Tae Hyun posed earlier in the day continued to echo in Ga Eul's mind. As she lay in bed that night, her blanket to her chin, she wondered why that question bothered her so much.

It wasn't that she _didn't_, she rationalized to herself. It was more of that she hadn't thought about it so much. After being with Yi Jeong for so long, it was more of a case of _being_ with him, than being _in love_ with him. It was a natural, inevitable progression. She wasn't a young, idealistic girl anymore, dreaming of love and soulmates, the way she was when she first met Yi Jeong. She had changed – or _matured_, if you like – along with her years.

_Though_, she silently admitted to herself, turning such that her back faced the door, _there are times I wish I were that girl, again._

A few minutes later, the bedroom door creaked open and then closed shut, followed by pads of footsteps against the carpet. Ga Eul heard Yi Jeong yawn (a sharp intake of breath, and then a breathy sigh as he exhaled) as he peeled off the blanket on his side of the bed, and crawled under. Ga Eul felt the bed sink slightly as her husband settled in.

For a while, the air was heavy with silence. She could only hear them breathing; out of time, and eventually, in sync.

"Are you still awake?" Yi Jeong's whisper suddenly pierced through the quiet.

Ga Eul chose not to answer. She heard him sigh.

"I was hoping you would be," he continued, "It's been a while since we last talked. Life has just been so busy. I don't wish for it to be, you know? But that's how it is."

She felt the bed shake a little as he turned to his side, and faced her back. (She knew because she could feel his breath tickle her neck. The distance, the proximity gave her shivers.)

Her heartbeat sped up as she waited in anticipation to what he would say next. _Would he talk about what he wrote to me that day? That note I found on our bathroom mirror?_

Ga Eul heard him breathe in, as if he was going to say something. Then, the rustle of sheets. But all too soon, it was followed by a fast exhale through his nose, then a sigh.

"Sweet dreams, my dear," was all that he whispered in the end, before he was swiftly taken by sleep.

Ga Eul made sure he was fully asleep before she willed herself to turn around to face him. Moonlight illuminated the room slightly, allowing her to see Yi Jeong's sleeping form. He was still as handsome as ever, though the years have lined his face and made him look more mature, and a little more tired, instead of the suave baby-face he was when they first met.

A tear trickled, crossing her nose and cheek onto her pillow, as she reached out to gently caress his cheek.

"Sweet dreams, _sunbae_," she whispered back, as she fell into sleep with him.

…

A few days passed after the siblings' second phase of action. They had decided to let things rest for a while, before attempting to enter their third (and hopefully, final) phase.

Tae Hyun returned home late from soccer practice one evening to find that his mother had taken Mi Sun out. _Most likely to the Gus' place_, he figured with a smile, _omma must have taken_ _Sun-ie to play with Yong Yong, while she gossips with Jan Di-imo._

He had just put down his soccer gear, when the phone rang. He slid across the floor in his socks to the wall phone.

"_Yobuseyo?"_

"Ah, Tae Hyun-ah," a familiar voice said on the other end, "How are you?"

"Ji Hoo-_samchon_!" Tae Hyun exclaimed, a grin lighting up his face upon hearing the voice of his godfather, and favourite uncle, "I'm fine, thanks. How's Paris?"

Ji Hoo chuckled and coughed. "Surprisingly cold," he admitted, "I didn't think it would be _that_ cold at this time of the year."

"But it's summer, isn't it?" Tae Hyun asked.

"Tell that to Mother Nature," his godfather said wryly, "She seems to have forgotten what time of the year it is!"

The two guys laughed heartily. Tae Hyun always enjoyed talking to Ji Hoo-_samchon_. He liked the air of calm that always seemed to surround him. He also liked how his _samchon_ was sensitive and observant, and always knew what to say at the right times.

"My parents aren't around, if you're looking for them," Tae Hyun informed Ji Hoo, "_Aboji_ is away on business, and I think _omoni_ took Mi Sun to the Gus' house."

He heard Ji Hoo cough again. "I see. Well, that's okay then. Maybe I'll call another time. It's not urgent. I only wanted to ask your father about that article your parents were featured in. I was just thinking about it the other day. I lost my copy of it when I moved to Paris."

"Article?" Tae Hyun said, "I didn't know my parents were featured in an article recently."

"Oh, not recently," Ji Hoo replied, "That was a few years after your _noona_ was born. Your mother was featured in an article in the newspapers, about the other halves of famous people in society. They were interviewed together about how they first met."

The last sentence pricked Tae Hyun's ears. He had to find that article.


	6. Will We Ever Find Out?

**Chapter Six: Will We Ever Find Out?**

Tae Hyun looked at his watch. 8.30pm. His mother should be home any minute now. She was usually quite religious about Mi Sun's sleeping time, which was no later than 9.30.

It meant he had to move faster.

He finished the conversation with his _samchon_, and dashed upstairs to his parents' room, to try to uncover anything he could possibly find. He pushed open the door and was greeted by a waft of vanilla, his mother's favourite scent. Scanning the room, Tae Hyun began to mentally work out where either of his parents would possibly keep things of such sentimental value (more his mother than his father, he expected).

After briefly searching through his parents' cupboard and some drawers, a frustrated Tae Hyun ran his fingers through his hair, and gave it a tug. Nothing. _Where else could it be…_ he wondered to himself.

He dashed down the stairs again, and headed to his father's study. His father was not known to be a sentimental man (his mother was the one who kept scrapbooks and files of memories and such), so he didn't expect to find anything there. Still, he figured it was worth a shot.

Trying to look for any semblance of that article was like trying to search for a needle in a haystack. His father's office was quite the organized mess, or so he used to say, and coming face to face with it daunted him, somewhat.

"This is why I never come in here," Tae Hyun mumbled to himself, his nose beginning to itch.

But he searched anyway. Rifling through various files and pottery magazines, rummaging through boxes of old exhibition photos, sifting through documents and leaflets… it came to naught. Tae Hyun slumped himself against his father's armchair, tired and defeated.

Then, something on a display shelf caught his eye. Their family photo – taken at a studio about a year back before Mi Yun went away to study – was proudly on display on it. The photo was one of his personal favourites, because it wasn't the average stuffy, non-smiling family photo. It was a candid shot, of his parents sitting on the floor with Mi Sun, while he and Mi Yun draped their arms around them. He loved how natural it looked, and how happy they looked too.

He got up to take a closer look, and discovered a slim, nondescript black file under it. Curious, he slid it out from under the photo frame and flipped it open.

It was exactly what he was looking for.

…

"Wow, I don't remember this article at all," Mi Yun said later, when Tae Hyun returned to his room with his discovery. He had immediately scanned in the article and called his sister, who skipped class to video chat with him in the university cafeteria.

"I guess you wouldn't, _noona_. You were two years old anyway. Look at that picture of you!" he teased, referring to her baby picture in the article.

She ignored her brother and continued reading the soft copy article that was just sent to her. "_'The truth is that without her, I wouldn't be the man I am today,'"_ she read out loud, occasionally quoting her father,_ "'I think I liked it better when you said you'd spend the rest of your life with me.'… '…Ga Eul's the half that makes me whole. She's truly my other half.'_"

Mi Yun appeared slightly pensive after finishing the article. "Very interesting indeed. It's quite well-written and comprehensive," she commented with a grin. "And how about that proposal, huh? I didn't think _appa_ was _that_ romantic."

"And it's not even_ that_ controversial or anything," added Tae Hyun. "Well, aside from the earlier part of their relationship, anyway. I don't know why _omma_ and _appa_ didn't want to tell us about this."

"They probably didn't think it mattered, Hyun-ah," Mi Yun replied, briefly turning away to greet a passing classmate, "It happened so long ago."

Tae Hyun folded his arms and leaned back into his chair. "But still, it doesn't mean that…"

Mi Yun sighed. "I'm not saying we shouldn't be doing this – well, actually we shouldn't, but I know you mean well, Hyun. That's why I'm not dissuading you. But just… know your boundaries, okay? I don't want you to get into trouble."

"They can ground me for as long as they want," said a stubborn and determined Tae Hyun, "As long as they are both happy, and as long as they remember why they love each other."

…

The next morning was a busy one for Ga Eul. Yi Jeong was still away on business, and she had to prepare for Mi Sun's school fundraiser the next day, as she'd volunteered to set up a stall selling Korean food.

She returned home from a trip to the market with lots of fresh produce in the backseat. Upon opening the car door, she realized that some of the vegetables had spilled out of its bags, and were now all over the seat, and the floor.

Ga Eul frowned. _Not a good day to forget the vegetable box_, she decided, thinking about the wooden box she'd usually bring along with her when she went grocery shopping.

She was in the midst of retrieving the carrots and onions from the floor, when she heard a van pulling up in front of her house. _The neighbours must have ordered something from home shopping again_, she thought to herself, recalling all the unwanted items her neighbours have bought over the years…

"Hi, are you Mrs So Yi Jeong?"

Mrs So Yi Jeong herself almost knocked her head on the ceiling of the car. But she composed herself quickly and coolly turned around, holding some asparagus in her hands. "Yes, that would be me."

"I have a delivery for you," he said, gesturing at the flower bouquet in his arms, "Please sign here to acknowledge that you've received it."

Ga Eul, slightly stunned at the sudden delivery, slowly took the clipboard from the guy, and almost signed the form with the asparagus. Eventually, when the pen was in her hand, she mistakenly signed on the wrong line.

"Uhh, ma'am," the deliveryman said giving the form the once-over, "That's where my company stamp goes. You're supposed to sign on the first line."

Ga Eul mumbled an apology and rectified her mistake quite mechanically. She then gathered the bouquet in her arms, thanked the deliveryman, and watched him walk away.

It was after he left that she finally admired the beautiful, generous bouquet in her arms, of white and pink lilies peppered with baby's breath. They were her favourites. She took a whiff of their collective scent and sighed contentedly. It had been a long time since she had last received flowers.

She noticed a little white card peeking out from between the blooms. Curious, Ga Eul picked it out and flipped it open. There was only one line on the card:

"_You are the half that makes me whole… you are truly my other half."_

An involuntarily gasp escaped her mouth as she read the line. She knew exactly where that came from: the interview that they did many years ago, when Mi Yun was a little girl. She used to read the article over and over and smile. They were probably the happiest at that time.

Ga Eul held the flowers in her arms and began to cry, right then and there, the newly-bought food in the car forgotten. All that mattered at that point was that she missed the love of her life, so much.

...

**(A/N: The actual article exists, and will be uploaded soon :))**


	7. What Can I Say To Make You Feel This?

**Chapter Seven: What Can I Say To Make You Feel This?**

330 kilometres away from home, Yi Jeong was staring out of the window of his Busan office. As his eyes met with the other tall buildings in the vicinity, and the darkened clouds in the sky, all his mind could process were thoughts of home, and his family. For some reason, they were on his mind more than ever that morning, and he was glad to be heading home the next day.

He reached over for his notebook and pulled out the note he'd found in between the pages, of Ga Eul's words, written just for him. He'd never asked her about it, simply because it never came to mind once he got home and then, fatigue properly set in. _Which is a poor excuse, _he chided himself mentally. _If it meant that much to you, you would have said something._

Just then, his work phone rang. He reached over and pressed the intercom button.

"Yes, Secretary Han?"

"Mr So, your eldest daughter's on the line."

Yi Jeong was surprised that Mi Yun had called him at his office, instead of his cell phone.

"Put her through, please," he said, "And next time, if my wife or children call the office, just put them through immediately."

"Yes sir," Secretary Han replied, "One moment, please."

Yi Jeong turned off the intercom and a few seconds later, another call came through. He picked it up right away.

"Oh, Mi Yun-ah."

"Hi _appa_," came his eldest daughter's melodic voice over the other line, "How are you?"

Yi Jeong smiled. It was nice to hear Mi Yun's voice, though they were miles apart.

He had a special place in his heart for his eldest child.

"I'm well. And you, darling?" he enquired, straightening a picture of him and her on his desk, "Have you been eating well? Sleeping early? Not dating any other strange boys?"

Mi Yun laughed, but he couldn't quite tell if that was a genuine laugh, or an awkward one. "The answers are yes, not quite but I'm working on it, and no. Not since you disapproved of Colby, _appa_."

"That boy," Yi Jeong said, a hint of teasing in his voice, "Was trouble from the start. Especially when I saw from pictures that he dresses better than you, and that he has clearer skin than you do. No boy should look more beautiful than my daughter. How is that American punk, anyway?"

"He's fine, _appa_," Mi Yun replied, sounding slightly exasperated, "Just dandy. He's been dancing a lot at university ballet recitals. Please don't rag on my boyfriend anymore, okay? You know how sensitive Colby is."

Yi Jeong smiled as he recalled meeting the waif-like young man while he was in Seoul with Mi Yun on their first winter vacation. He probably wasn't the most ideal choice for his baby girl, but he was sincere, had a kind heart, and he made her happy. That's all that matters. (The boy also spoke Korean. Instant plus, in Yi Jeong's book.)

"Send him my regards. Anyway," Yi Jeong changed the subject, "To what do I owe this phone call? It's not every day I get a phone call from you. And at my office, no less."

"Can't a daughter just call her father and find out how he is?" she asked, and Yi Jeong could hear her smile over the phone. "I've been talking a lot to Hyun online, but I realized I've not talked to you and _omma_ in a while. How is she, anyway?"

Yi Jeong cleared his throat, somewhat uneasily. "She's fine. The same, you know. Busy with the household."

"The way you're busy with work?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Mi Yun-ah?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

His daughter sighed over the other line. "It means that both of you haven't seen each other much. Have you?"

Yi Jeong wasn't very pleased with where this was going. "Your university fees and everything else don't come for free, you know. That's why I work! I have to put food on the table and get the bills paid, don't I?"

"At the expense of your other half? 'The half that makes you whole?' Wasn't that what you said about _omma_ once? "

A sharp intake of breath entered Yi Jeong's body. _How dare she…_

"Mi Yun-ah…"

"_Appa_, we found the article that was written about you and _omma_ when I was two years old. And the way you both were written about in the article… it was beautiful. Both of you sounded like you were so loving, just _so_ deeply in love. I wish I weren't so young at the time, just so I could see the way you both were. I wish I could see the both of you _now_, the way you were back then…"

"We're not in our 20s anymore, Mi Yun-ah," Yi Jeong's voice was firm, "We can't be canoodling the way we used to! We're just not like that anymore…"

He heard Mi Yun laugh, a cynical note in her voice. "Maybe _you_ aren't, but have you ever wondered if _omma_ still is?"

Yi Jeong held his tongue. Too much was swirling in his head at that point.

"I'm sure she misses you, _appa_. She misses you and who you are to her. You're her one and only love. Didn't you say in the article that she's 'the girl you love, and who taught you to love'?

"I love you, _appa_, and I love _omma_ too. I just want to see you both happy, okay? Don't take her for granted. Please."

…

Later in the afternoon, Tae Hyun and Mi Sun were assisting their mother in preparing _kimbap_ and _japchae_ for the school fundraiser. Helping them out were the Song brothers, Jinsu and Jin Kwang, who were loaned to the Sos by their mother as kitchen helpers for the day.

Ga Eul went around the kitchen to make sure that everyone was doing their job, and doing it well. "Hyun-ah," she instructed her son, "Be careful about the grater… Jinsu-yah, maybe you could slice those carrots a _little_ thinner… Jin Kwang, good job washing the noodles… Mi Sun-ie! Stop eating the omelettes!"

"But it's so nice, _omma_!" Mi Sun insisted, her eyes wide and innocent, licking away the egg at the side of her mouth, "Your omelettes are the best!"

Ga Eul tapped her daughter's button nose, while swiftly taking the plate of omelettes away from her.

"So," Jinsu whispered to Tae Hyun, who was in the midst of grating a big head of lettuce, "Any progress on… _you know_?"

"I don't know," Tae Hyun whispered back, trying to grasp it properly, "It doesn't seem to be working. I can't seem to tell…"

Before he could finish his sentence, the living room wall phone rang.

"I'll get it!" Tae Hyun offered, happy to get away from grating since his hands were getting sore. He sprinted out of the kitchen and into the living room.

A minute later, he was back in the kitchen. "_Omma_," he reported to Ga Eul hurriedly, "That was _appa_. He called to say he's changed his flight, and he's coming home tonight, instead of tomorrow."


	8. How Can I Stand Here With You…

**Chapter 8: How Can I Stand Here With You… **

"I'm home!"

"_Appa_!" Mi Sun yelled, as she ran out of the kitchen to greet their father in the hall. The little girl pounced on Yi Jeong, who in turn had the wind knocked out of him slightly from her enthusiastic greeting.

Tae Hyun shuffled out into the hall. "Welcome home, _appa_," he greeted politely, bowing, and picking up the bags on the floor.

"Thanks, son," Yi Jeong replied, putting Mi Sun back on the ground. He slapped the lanky teen on his back. "Where's your mother?"

The boy nodded his head towards the kitchen. "She's still making stuff," he said, stifling a yawn and shifting the weight of the bags evenly, "We've all been cooking since the afternoon."

"Oh? What's the occasion? I've only been away five days," Yi Jeong smiled.

"It's for my school fundraiser, _appa_!" Mi Sun chirped, tugging at her father's jacket, "She's making _kimbap_ and _japchae_! I think we'll make a lot of money!"

Yi Jeong laughed at his daughter's last comment. _So young, and already so business minded,_ he wryly thought to himself.

"You two run along," he said gently, "I'll help your mother in the kitchen."

He stepped away as the two siblings traded knowing looks behind him.

Yi Jeong peeked his head into the kitchen and found his wife sitting quietly at the counter, near a bouquet of pink lilies and baby's breath. She was systematically adding ingredients onto an evenly shaped bed of rice and seaweed, then rolling them up tightly. The neat _kimbap_ rolls on the plate near her were symmetrical and perfectly formed, a testament to Ga Eul's meticulous nature.

"You still apply too much pressure, even after all these years," he teased.

He saw her break into a small smile, but she didn't look up from what she was doing.

"Bad habits are hard to break, I guess," she replied coolly, reaching for a sliver of carrot.

"Can I do anything to help?" Yi Jeong asked, walking up to her.

Ga Eul shook her head. "It's fine. I'm almost done." It was then that she looked up at her husband, a slight curve in her usually-smiling eyes. "I thought you said you were coming back tomorrow?"

Yi Jeong cleared his throat and walked around the counter to stand next to his wife. "Yes, but… ah, I managed to finish up earlier than expected. I didn't want to spend too much time at work. I've really missed the kids."

"Of course you have," she said under her breath, continuing to roll up the _kimbap, _"They've been asking for you too."

"And," he added with a whisper, putting an arm around her and kissing the top of her head, "I've missed you too."

A sigh escaped Ga Eul's lips. Yi Jeong couldn't tell if it was a sigh of contentment, or otherwise. He got his answer when she got up to get some cling wrap, to cover the ingredients. It was as if that moment never happened.

"I've kept some food for you," she said, putting the tupperware of _kimbap_ away. She retrieved some the leftovers from the refrigerator, placing it on a nearby kitchen counter. "I'll heat it up."

Just as Ga Eul was about to close the refrigerator door, she felt her husband's strong arms embrace her from behind. That gesture surprised her. He hadn't done something like this in so long, she'd almost forgotten what it was like to be in his arms.

"I'm sorry, you know," he murmured into her neck, a sensation that sent shivers down her arms, "I'm sorry I haven't been here enough. I'm sorry I haven't been with _you_ enough. _I've really missed you._"

Ga Eul felt all her guards melt away in that instant. She closed the door and leaned her back against it. Looking up at her husband, the man she fell in love with more than twenty years ago, Ga Eul really _saw_ him for the first time in a long time.

_Those eyes, filled with longing, and love…_

Yi Jeong leaned down, his mouth inches away from her ear.

"Remember how we used to dance in the kitchen all those years ago?" he whispered, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers through, "Will you dance with me again?"

Ga Eul looked up at Yi Jeong and laughed, her smiling eyes curving naturally. "_Pabo_. There isn't even any music."

"The music," Yi Jeong murmured with a grin, reaching for her other hand and placing it over his heart, "Is all in here."

And so, hands intertwined, and her hand on his heart, the couple danced in the kitchen, accompanied by a melody that only they could hear.

…

Up in Tae Hyun's room, curiosity was getting the better of his younger sister.

"_Oppa_, how do you think things are going in the kitchen?"

Tae Hyun shrugged and continued playing the game on his video console. "Beats me."

Mi Sun bounced up and down restlessly. "Can I go look? Please? Please?"

"I don't think that's a good idea. Just let _omma_ and _appa_ have their time."

"But what if nothing is happening?"

"Nothing _can't _be happening, Sun-ie yah," Tae Hyun said, slightly irritated, as he continued to press the buttons on his console frantically. "They'll definitely be talking or something down there. It's not like _omma_ is mad at him or anything."

"I guess…" his sister trailed, twirling on her braid. "But I still don't think things are happening. They won't be reminded of the right things…"

As strange as his sister's train of thought was, another brain wave suddenly hit Tae Hyun.

"Sunie-yah," Tae Hyun asked, hitting the pause button on his console, "I think I know what we can do for the last phase." He reached for the black file on his study table, and began to flip through it.

…

The school fundraiser was a success, with the entire family (Yi Jeong included) helping out at the stall. They had sold everything by the end of the day, and were crowned the biggest fundraisers of the event. They celebrated their success by heading out to dinner the next evening, since they were too tired to head out that night.

"Good job yesterday, everyone!" Ga Eul said, raising her cup of tea towards her family, "You all worked hard!"

The rest of the family followed suit, raising their respective drinks and clinking the glasses together, cheering loudly in the private room Yi Jeong had booked for them at their favourite Korean restaurant.

"Ah, this is nice," Yi Jeong smiled as he put down his glass, and looked around the table, "It's been a while since we last ate together as a family. I've really missed this."

Ga Eul reached across the table and scooped some food onto her husband's plate. "And you've missed eating Mrs Kim's _ddeokbokki_, haven't you?"

"I dream about it most nights," he replied with a grin. His wife smiled back at him, and spooned some food onto Mi Sun's plate.

Tae Hyun observed his parents from across the other end of the round table. They seemed to be in good spirits, which was something he hadn't seen in a while. He wondered for a moment if something had changed, but then decided that he had to push through till the end.

Suddenly, he let out a low moan and clutched his stomach.

Mi Sun stopped eating upon hearing the sound. "_Oppa_?"

"Hyun-ah?" Ga Eul said, getting up to go to her son, "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"Uhh…" her son moaned in reply, doubling over, "I don't feel too good all of a sudden, _omma_. I-I must have added too much paste into the bibimbap…"

Yi Jeong promptly rose up from his seat. "I'll take you to the washroom, Hyun," he offered.

"Ahh... it's okay, _appa_," Tae Hyun murmured, getting up on his own, "It's not too far away. I can make it there on my own. I don't want to disturb dinner…"

"Okay then," Ga Eul said, helping her son towards the entrance of the private room, "But be sure to call us if anything. You have your cell phone with you, don't you?"

Tae Hyun nodded, and painfully shuffled his way out of the room, but not before turning to his sister and subtly nodding at her. She winked in reply.

"This Hyun," Ga Eul sighed and shook her head as she headed back to the table, "He knows he's got a sensitive stomach, yet he always puts too much paste into his food."

Yi Jeong reached across the table for more _soondae_. "You know him, it's always 'enjoy first, suffer later'. He never seems to learn. But he's a strong one. He'll survive."

It was then that Mi Sun reached down into her little backpack, and pulled out her school exercise book. "_Appa_, _omma_," she said with an angelic smile, "I got another star in my essay book today."

"Really! That's my girl! I'm so proud of you!" her mother beamed, clapping her hands together in delight.

Yi Jeong pinched her cheek. "Good job, baby pearl! Read it out! Your _omma_ and I want to hear it."

Mi Sun smiled and flipped the pages till she got to the right one, grinning at her parents. "Are you ready?"

Ga Eul straightened herself up, and nodded. Yi Jeong put his chopsticks down.

"To Someone I Love," Mi Sun said simply, "By So Mi Sun."

_This sounds interesting already, _Ga Eul thought to herself, giving her daughter an encouraging smile.

"_For us to have reached this first a-nni-ver-sa-ry of ours is an a-chieve-ment," _Mi Sun began, carefully enunciating the difficult words, _"Especially for such different per-so-na-li-ties as us. Though we have certain si-mi-lar views on some things, our a-pproa-ches can be totally different, as you well know. It may be an area of con-flict, but we must be able to talk about it and settle it, instead of it fes-te-ring as sar-ca-sm."_

Ga Eul's mouth gaped as she listened to what her daughter was reading.

"_It hasn't always been perfect between us, but it makes me glad to know that you have been trying just as hard to make this – us – work. And I love you so much, for that. _

Yi Jeong's brow furrowed for a moment, and then softened. _This sounds a little too familiar_, he thought to himself. He looked across to his wife, who was still in shock.

_If my heart were a neigh-bour-hood, you'd be a per-ma-nent re-si-dent there. If my heart were a home, I'd want no one else but you to reside in it. And you already are. Thank you for loving me, for caring for me, for being with me. I want our time together to never end."_

Mi Sun closed the book, and looked up to meet her mother's stunned, tear-stained face.

"_Omma_," she said tentatively, her voice laced with concern, "Are you… okay?"

Ga Eul reached up to wipe a tear away from her eye. "Yes, yes I am… but Sun-ie yah," she whispered, getting up from her seat, and walking to crouch in front of her daughter, "You couldn't possibly have written this."

"I know," she said, just as simply as she read those words, "Because _you_ did, _omma_."


	9. … And Not Be Moved By You?

**Chapter 9: … And Not Be Moved By You?**

Upon returning home from dinner that evening, Yi Jeong and a still-teary Ga Eul sat their middle and youngest child down in the living room for a talk, after the nice family dinner turned rather… _emotional_. It was strange for their youngest child to have had a copied version of a private letter in her possession, _and _to have her read it out loud to him and Ga Eul at the dinner table.

(Yi Jeong also eventually discovered that Tae Hyun wasn't _really_ having stomach trouble. It was quite evident that the washroom didn't always have the sounds of people cheering at a soccer game, and Tae Hyun seemed to cheer just fine when Yi Jeong overheard him scoring a goal on his games console, while hiding in a cubicle.)

The head of the So family had to get to the bottom of things.

"First and foremost," Yi Jeong said in his firmest voice, eyeing both children sitting across from him, "I want to know who went into my study and snooped around. Own up now, and I promise that I'll go easy on whoever did it."

The two siblings looked at each other and looked back down at their laps. Tae Hyun raised his hand shakily.

"Okay, thank you, Hyun," his father acknowledged. "Now, who was the one who looked through my personal file? The one with the newspaper article and _omma's_ letter to me?"

The two siblings raised their hands guiltily.

"Thank you. And who was the one who got our mini-hompy archives?"

Tae Hyun's head snapped up upon hearing that.

"H-how did you know about that, _appa_?"

"Your elder sister told him," Ga Eul informed her son. "They spoke on the phone a few days ago."

Tae Hyun began to curse his older sister under his breath, while nervously tugging at his hair.

"_Appa! Oppa_ is saying naughty words about _unnie_!" said Mi Sun.

Her brother glared at her and paused, mid-hair tug. "You…"

"That's enough! The both of you!" Yi Jeong yelled, and the kids stopped bickering, hanging their heads low instead. Ga Eul put her hand on her husband's arm, and he took in a deep breath.

"Kids," their mother said in a gentler tone, "Your father and I just want to know why the both of you did all this snooping around behind our backs. It's not right for you to be going into your father's study and taking things that are not yours. We're not happy about that at all."

Both Tae Hyun and Mi Sun continued to look ashamed for a few moments. Then, something changed in Tae Hyun's eyes. He looked up at his parents and spoke in a bold voice.

"I just wanted to know if the both of you still loved each other, because…" he suddenly paused. Tae Hyun gulped and felt his chin quivering. He looked away just as tears began to fill his eyes.

"Sun-ie and I just didn't feel like you still did," he whispered, as his younger sister took his shaking hand in her petite one. He began to lightly tug on his hair again with his free hand.

The little girl's eyes were round and rimming with tears as she looked towards her parents. "You don't hold hands. You don't hug. You don't kiss. Doesn't it mean… that you don't love each other anymore?" With that, Mi Sun began to sob.

The older couple was at a loss for words as they stared at their solemn looking son, and their bawling daughter. Ga Eul got up to take Mi Sun into her arms to pacify her, patting her reassuringly on her shoulder. The little girl curled up into a little cocoon, holding the warm body of her mother close.

"Oh, my baby girl…" Ga Eul cooed, "Is that what you're worried about? Don't be silly… I still love your _appa_ very much, and we love you, and your oppa and unnie…"

As she did so, Yi Jeong got up to sit next to his son. He put an arm around the sniffling teen, and took his hand away from his hair before a bald patch emerged.

"Hyun-ah," he began, clearing his throat, "Just because you don't see your _omma_ and I do any of those things… it doesn't mean that we don't love each other.

"You have to understand, son, that your mother and I aren't who we used to be, twenty over years ago when we first met," he replied, "We aren't the star crossed lovers we once were all those years ago… well, not that _we _really were. We can think of some other people who's more suitable for that title." Yi Jeong turned to wink at his wife, and she smiled.

He turned back to look at his son. "We're older now. We've gone through part of our lives together, we've raised the three of you together…" He paused to smile. "You'll understand this when you're much older, but there always comes a time when two people settle down, and they become so comfortable and accustomed to each other, that things between them become so… natural. Just like a second skin.

"But believe me when I say that I still love your mother, very much, Tae Hyun-ah. I love _her_. I love who she is to me, and I love her for the strength she is in this family. She's the one who holds everything and everyone together when I'm not around. It's not easy! But she does a wonderful job. You couldn't have a better mother, kids. And I couldn't have a better other half."

It was Ga Eul's turn to tear up at her husband's words, which made a sniffling Mi Sun look up at her from her little curled-up position.

While he did take his father's words to heart, Tae Hyun still wasn't entirely convinced. He turned to eye Yi Jeong.

"But, how do you _show_ it?" he insisted, uncharacteristically challenging the older man.

The father chose to ignore his son's insolence, just this once. He smiled at the question.

"There are different ways of showing love, you know, son," Yi Jeong said, almost quite sagely, "It's not just hugging and kissing and all that. That's _one_ way, but it's not the _only_ way.

"I show it through practical means, just like any other man would. I work hard, I put food on the table, a roof over our heads. It's not the kind of love that _you_ may imagine, but it is, to _me_. And your mother knows it too," he said, "When she cooks for me, when she makes me tea when I'm working, when she gives me those great shoulder massages when I'm stressed… that's when _I_ feel the most loved.

"But I suppose…" he admitted softly, "I don't show your mother love the way _she _understands it. Not all the time, anyway."

Yi Jeong got up from his seat and walked over to sit next to his girls. He reached over and wiped away the tears that were streaking his wife's beautiful face, which was still pristine despite being lined by years.

"I know I haven't said anything to appreciate you lately, and I have no excuses. But thank you, for everything you do for us, and for every bit of support you are to me."

Ga Eul smiled at the love of her life, and mouthed a '_Saranghae_' to him. He, in turn, took his love's hand in his, kissed it, and mouthed the same words of love back to her.

She nestled her head on his shoulder, and he put an arm around her, pulling her in.

"Tae Hyun-ah, come here," Yi Jeong said, motioning for the boy sitting across from them.

Tae Hyun got up to walk towards the rest of his family, and he squeezed in between his parents, who gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you, Hyun-ah," his mother whispered shakily, "For wanting to do this for us."

"It was a nice thought, and I thank you too," his father conceded, ruffling the boy's hair, "But one thing I can't let you get away with is going through my things without my permission. You're grounded for two weeks, no playing with your games console, and no soccer practice. Which is much less than the two months I was going to impose."

Tae Hyun sighed. "I guess I can live with that… if everything else is okay."

Yi Jeong smiled at his son, and the rest of his family. "I guess you can say that we're working towards it."

A now-pacified, but slightly groggy Mi Sun crawled out of her mother's arms and pottered over to her father. "_Appa_," she murmured in a higher tone, "Did you know that _omma_ got flowers a few days ago? I think it's from a secret admirer. You're in trouble."

The older man let out a hearty laugh.

"I'm in trouble, am I now, baby pearl?" he said with a glint in his eye, picking his youngest child up and placing her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But what if that 'secret admirer' was your _appa_? Would I still be in trouble then?"

Ga Eul turned to look incredulously at her husband. "Y-you sent them? But that's completely out of the blue."

"No, it wasn't," Yi Jeong smiled, as he stroked Mi Sun's back, "That day marked 18 years since our article was published. I just wanted to remind you of that."

…

Later that evening, Ga Eul was sitting on the daybed in her room with her knees to her chest, looking pensively out of the window. She sighed. The night was most certainly one of the most emotional ones she'd had in a long time.

As she gazed at the full moon and admired the stars winking at her in the distance, she sighed contentedly to herself and felt her heart swell as she thought of Yi Jeong_. He just never fails to surprise me,_ she thought to herself, _even after all these years._

Just then, the bedroom door opened, and a pyjama-clad Yi Jeong walked in, holding some papers in his hands.

"Everything okay with the kids?" she asked, stretching out on the daybed.

Her husband smiled at her. "Mi Sun was already fast asleep when I went back in. Hyun and I had a chat. Which was good, because it feels like I've not talked to him in a while."

"You're too busy telling him off, half the time," she chided him gently, "You hardly get to see the mature side of him."

"Well, I may be beginning to do just that. He's growing to be quite a sensible boy," Yi Jeong agreed. He walked over to the daybed, picked up his wife's legs, and sat down, putting her slender legs over his lap.

He handed a slim stack of papers over to Ga Eul. "Here," he said, "These are yours."

"Oh?" she took the papers from him curiously, "Have you not finished proofreading all the write-ups for Copenhagen?"

Yi Jeong shook his head. "I'm not talking about work till next week, remember? Go on, take a look at what it says."

Ga Eul raised an eyebrow at her husband, and then looked at the first sheet of paper.

"_Memoirs of a Simple Girl_," she read out loud. She scanned the page a little more and gasped when she realized what it was.

"My mini-hompy!" Ga Eul exclaimed excitedly, waving the papers in her hand, "These are from my mini-hompy! _Omo_! Where did you find this! I didn't know it still existed after all these years! _Omo omo omo_!"

Yi Jeong chuckled at his wife's excitement. "Tae Hyun passed these to me earlier. He said that Song Jinsu managed to find them somehow. He's quite a whiz at acquiring information, no doubt a trait he got from his father," he said wryly.

"Still, I can't believe that Jinsu could still find these after all this time!" Ga Eul's eyes widened, and she broke into a laughing spiel as she read through her archives. "_Omo_, listen to this: '_That stuck up potter came into the porridge shop again today. Sat down in the corner with Woo Bin sunbae, and refused to leave. I can't stand seeing him! I just want to punch that proud look off his face!' _Wow! I can't believe I wrote that!"

"I guess I can," Yi Jeong said wistfully, as he massaged his wife's calves with his free hand. "I admit that I wasn't the nicest guy in the past. But would you _still_ have written that if you knew you'd be stuck with me the rest of your life?"

Ga Eul scrunched her nose at her husband. "I might have written worse."

"Oh, really now?" he said, looking slightly hurt.

"Don't act innocent," she teased, "You would've written nasty things about me too, I'd imagine."

Yi Jeong stared at his wife in disbelief. "You have _that_ much faith in me?"

"I know you, So Yi Jeong," Ga Eul replied with a faux lackadaisical shrug, "I know you now, and I knew you then."

"Well, okay, let's find something to prove you wrong, shall we?" He promptly began to scan through his own archives for something to read to his wife. Ga Eul eyed him suspiciously.

"Okay! I've got it," he said, clearing his throat, "'_Chu Ga Eul. The name just screams country bumpkin. This girl, she is almost a comedy of errors. She is tacky, she is hopeless, she perpetually has her head in the clouds… she keeps putting her foot in hot water and keeps getting burned. I have to save her each time it happens…"_

Ga Eul's mouth dropped open as she listened to what Yi Jeong was reading. He'd long anticipated her incredulous expression, and quickly put a finger to his own lips, then took it away as he continued reading.

"'…_And I do so, because she is worth saving. She is something special. As much as I see a country bumpkin before me, I cannot deny that she is beautiful, in her own country bumpkin way. She is strong, she is close to fearless… and she is alive, more than I ever will be. The knowledge of her keeps me going, and I have a feeling that one day, she will save _me_."_

Yi Jeong looked up and saw a dreamy smile cross Ga Eul's face, the same one he remembered seeing when he'd saved her from that kamikaze skier on the slopes, all those years ago.

He tapped her on her nose to rouse her from her reverie. "I _am_ capable of writing nicer things, love."

"You are capable of many things," Ga Eul murmured, inching closer to him and caressing his cheek, "Especially throwing me off guard."

"Oh," Yi Jeong smiled, moving his face closer to hers, "Something a little like this?"

He swiftly captured her lips in his, and kissed her gently. They stayed that way for a while, and he felt her smile into his lips.

"Kind of," she whispered, after they broke away, "But I don't remember if this is _exactly_ it. Remind me again?"

Yi Jeong saw the sparkle in Ga Eul's eyes and chuckled. He'd forgotten how much he secretly loved flirting with his wife.

"Gladly," he whispered back, as he leaned in for another kiss.


	10. What Lies In Between?

**Chapter 9.5: What Lies In Between?**

"So, what other wonderful things did you write about me back then?"

"Do you really think _all_ my mini-hompy entries were about you?"

"Well, all of mine _were_ about you, my wife."

"I don't believe it, my husband."

"_Chagiya_, is it so hard to believe that the only person on my mind when I wrote in my mini-hompy was you?"

"It is when you also complained about Jun Pyo frying your hair straightener in New Caledonia, when you whined about Jae Kyung _unnie_ and her drunken antics, and when you ranted about Ji Hoo betraying you."

"He lied about his phone dying so that he could borrow _my_ phone to call _you_!"

"He did? How come I didn't know that?"

"I guess it just never came up."

"So, he knew about you… _possibly_ having a thing for me back then?"

"He _is_ Ji Hoo, you know. The man with the sixth sense."

"That is true."

"Anyway, all that aside. Read me something, Ga Eul-ah. I want to hear something you wrote about me."

"Hmmm. Well, you've already seen one of my favourite posts, haven't you?"

"I've framed it up in my office, so I can look at it every day."

"You mean, you are _going to_ frame it in your office. I suppose you haven't done it yet?"

"Secretary Han is still looking for a Hello Kitty wooden frame for it."

"I stopped liking Hello Kitty _years_ ago, in case you haven't already realised."

"Who says the frame is for you? Okay then, read me something else."

"Hmmm, let's see. Ah, okay, I've found it."

"I'm all ears, baby."

"_I had such a fun day with Jan Di today! It's been a long time since we last had a girl's day out. We went for a manicure, and then sat down at our favourite café for tea and yummy cupcakes. I really enjoyed our chat, it was very fruitful…"_

"Hey, wait a minute… this isn't about me-"

"Shhh. Don't interrupt. I haven't finished."

"Fine. But it just feels like you were dating Jan Di, not me."

"Yah, don't pout, Jeong-ah. It doesn't make you look cute anymore."

"Oh, just finish it already."

"…_especially when it came to the topic of our significant others. But as Jan Di talked about Jun Pyo, I suddenly missed Yi Jeong sunbae terribly. He's been back in Sweden the past week and will only be back next Monday. The day couldn't come fast enough._

_I miss the hugs that make me feel safe. I miss the smile that lights up his face, and my heart. I miss having him hold my hand while he's driving. I miss hearing his encouraging words after a difficult day. I miss hearing him whisper 'I love yous' in my ear. I miss the warmth that he brings. I really miss you, Sunbae. I seriously, wholesomely do…_

_I miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you i miss you…"_

"Whoa, whoa. Breathe, Ga Eul-ah, breathe!"

"Well, that pretty much was the rest of the entry."

"All those 'I miss yous'?"

"And a lot more! I could read the res-"

"It's okay, baby. I think I… kind of get the idea."

"But yeah. I like this post because it made me realize how much you encouraged me back then, through your gestures and your words. I know that you knew that's how I feel the most loved."

"And I still do."

"I know."

"Can I read you something else now?"

"Of course."

"_Today, after a long day at the museum, I managed to meet up with Ga Eul-yang. We sat at the playground near her apartment. It was a quiet night, with a sky full of stars, and it was gorgeous, much like the girl sitting next to me. We spent the whole night talking, about our hopes and dreams, and our thoughts about the future. I feel so good just talking to her. We hadn't done that in a while. _

'_What do you think we'll be like in 50 years time?' I asked her at one point._

'_Well,' she said, thoughtfully looking up into the sky, 'We'll be older, possibly wiser, and our hair may be grayer. We'll be an old fuddy-duddy couple in our matching slippers and pyjamas…'_

'_And will you still love me the way I love you now?' I asked again, 'Even if I'm less handsome? Less attractive?'_

_Her reply completely floored me. She looked me in the eye, took my hand in hers, and replied, 'I wouldn't be with you if I didn't want to love you for eternity.' _

_And so, this is how I know that my Ga Eul-yang and I will last for a really long time."_

"Wow. You remembered all that?"

"It was kept right here, in my heart."

"So, the rumours were true. You really _are_ a closet romantic, So Yi Jeong. How come it's taken me so long to discover that?"

"Maybe, Ga Eul-yang, it's because I took so long to realize that."

"It's okay, _sunbae_. You have the rest of our lives to make it up to me."

"Your wish is my command, madam. How shall I start making it up to you?"

"You can start by opening your arms so you can hold me."

"That's easy enough. C'mere, you."

...

A/N: This, and the story were inspired in part by a couple friend's blog entries about each other :)


	11. Epilogue: A Love To Last A Lifetime

**Epilogue: A Love To Last A Lifetime**

A few months later, the F4 families came together to celebrate Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's wedding anniversary. The occasion had also coincided with Mi Yun's term vacation, and so she flew back to Seoul, accompanied by her boyfriend Colby. Ji Hoo, who had relocated to Paris with his wife, also returned for the celebration.

The anniversary party was held on a breezy afternoon, on the Sos' modest back porch. After a sumptuous meal prepared by the ladies, and a generous barbeque manned by the gentlemen, the families sat around with coffees and soft drinks in hand, chatting and catching up with each other, while the younger kids attempted to play catch with each other.

Much later in the afternoon, the adults sat down for a special guessing game devised by some of the boys – with a slight twist, and with all necessary permission granted this time.

"Okay contestants," said gamemaster Tae Hyun, addressing the four couples before him, "Thank you all for being game enough to play the very first 'F4 Mini-Hompy Guessing Game'. The winners," he sighed, looking forlornly at his sister and her best friend, Goo Min Ae, who both grinned at each other, "As reluctantly agreed by the games committee, will have their children or god-children clean their house for a week. The losers will have their children or god-children clean all the F4 houses over a week…"

"I don't see how that's losing!" Jun Pyo piped up from his corner, "It's called character building!"

Jinsu looked at his godfather in amazement. "You're not helping, Jun Pyo-_samchon_! I have to clean your house for a week if _you_ win! Min Ae-_noona _will be away in university by then…"

"THAT is precisely why it's a win-win situation, Jinsu-yah!" Min Ae giggled, her curly ponytail swishing as she did, "You get to build your character, AND practice your housekeeping skills!"

"Yah! That's enough, kids!" an uncharacteristically firm Ji Hoo ordered, holding Jinsu back before the lad could lunge at the smug Goo heiress. "Let's just get the game going, okay?"

Jinsu cowered behind Tae Hyun, who rolled his eyes. "Don't forget to yell your family name when you wish to answer a question," he reminded everyone. He then turned to grin at his parents, and mouthed a 'Fighting!' to them. They grinned back.

"Okay, contestants! Here is your first question. Guess who wrote this," Tae Hyun said, clearing his throat, "_'I am not usually easily impressed by a guy who fights, since I too, am equipped with the ability to kick some butt! But when I saw the way his muscles rippled as he pummeled those bad guys, I couldn't help but stare in wonder…'_" he ended his reading with a shudder.

"GOO!" "SO!"

"Sorry, _appa_…" Tae Hyun said apologetically, peeling his hand off his ears, "Jun Pyo-_samchon_ was _slightly_… louder."

Yi Jeong attempted to protest, but his wife held his hand and shook her head.

"That is _so_ obviously by the Monkey sitting over there…" a tactful Jun Pyo declared, with a wave of his hand.

"Correct!" yelled Jinsu, "One point for the Goo familiy!"

"_Omo_, did I really say that about your father?" Jae Kyung laughed, eyeing Woo Bin once over, "He doesn't seem to have the same… physique as before."

"Yah, Jinsu and Jin Kwang's monkey _omma_," Woo Bin glared at his wife and patting his barely there paunch, "I'll have you know that I'm just as strong as I was when we first met, okay?"

Jae Kyung stuck her tongue out at her husband, "I'll believe it when you actually have the strength to take the trash out when I ask you to…"

"But you'd still love me anyway, even if I don't," grinned Woo Bin in reply, reaching over to give his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"Appa!" Jin Kwang protested, closing his eyes tightly, while covering Mi Sun and Yong Yong's with his palms, "Not in front of EVERYONE!"

The younger Song son's modesty and gentlemanliness made the entire group laugh.

"Next question!" Mi Yun shouted from her seat, her head resting on Colby's shoulder.

"Next question… guess who wrote this, my personal favourite," Jinsu began, "_'Sometimes I just want to rip his head apart and dig through his brain to find out what he's really thinking! Because as much as I am beginning to get used to his manners (or lack of) and mannerisms, sometimes I just can't get used to his thinking…"_

"SO!" "SONG!"

"Ga Eul-_imo_?"

"I remember this one," she said with a sly smile, "I was there when it was being written… and Jan Di was reading it out loud when she was penning it down…"

"Correct!" shouted Tae Hyun.

"What was wrong with my thinking?!" an indignant Jun Pyo bellowed at his wife, "I'll have you know that I put on my thinking wig a lot when I have conversations!"

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong sniggered. "I always knew the hair wasn't real…" Yi Jeong whispered dramatically to his wife, who slapped him on the shoulder.

"YAH! Do you want to di-" Jun Pyo's threat of death was successfully intercepted by is wife, who covered his mouth and gave him a death stare.

Jinsu turned to Tae Hyun with a sigh. "This game is a lot noisier than I thought."

"The F4 will always be the F4, I guess," the younger boy said with a hint of pseudo-wisdom, as they returned to the game.

…

An hour later, the Goos unceremoniously emerged the champions of the game, thanks (or no thanks) to the vocal advantage of the group. The Yuns, on the other hand, weren't as well versed in the area of mini-hompy histories, and had the lowest scores. Since they had no children, Tae Hyun, Ji Hoo's godson, was tasked with the cleaning duty.

"Does this mean I get to go to Paris to clean Ji Hoo_-samchon_'s house?" Tae Hyun asked his parents, with a hopeful grin.

"This means," Ga Eul replied with a knowing smile, tapping her son's nose, "That your _samchon_ and _imo_ won't be engaging the hotel's housekeeping services until they leave next week."

"Nice try, _dongsaeng_," chirped Mi Yun, "But you know that was going to happen."

Tae Hyun pouted and was just about to fold his arms, when he felt a tug on his shirt sleeve.

"_Oppa_, come here…" Mi Sun whispered, gesturing for him to bend down to her level.

After a few moments, Tae Hyun stood back up and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said in a loud and confident voice, getting everyone's attention, "On behalf of my parents and my siblings, I'd like to thank you again for spending this special day with us. It always means a lot to my family to have such a big, extended family by our side."

He paused and reached for his younger sister's hand, gently guiding her to face everyone. "My little sister has prepared something for my parents, and would like to present it to everyone. Please welcome So Mi Sun."

The garden was filled with thunderous applause and loud cheering, as the little girl curtsied, and unfolded a piece of paper she held in her hand.

"_Love Is…_" she read loudly and clearly, "_By So Mi Sun_."

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong looked at each other, and smiled.

"_Love is a funny thing_," began Mi Sun, "_And I'm too young to understand it, like what my oppa tells me. But I think I know what love is when I look at my omma, and my appa_.

"_Love is when my appa drives out late at night after coming back from work, because he wants to surprise omma with ddeokboki from her favourite roadside stall..._"

Oohs and ahhs could be heard from among the group, and Yi Jeong just shushed everyone, motioning for his pearl to continue.

"_Love is when my omma tells my appa that his kimchi pancakes are good, even if they are not, because she wants him to be happy…_"

Ga Eul giggled at the memory. Sadly, Yi Jeong never tried cooking again after he'd set off the fire alarm the last time.

"_Love is when omma tells appa that his wrinkles make him look even more handsome. Love is when appa tells omma that he now has more of her to hold..._"

Those lines made Ga Eul cover her mouth in slight embarrassment. She leaned her head against Yi Jeong's shoulder, which was shaking from his laughter.

"_Love is when omma and appa help each other, and work together to make things happen, and to keep us together…"_

Ga Eul briefly looked up at her husband and smiled, while her head remained on his shoulder.

"_Love is when omma and appa talk and laugh and fight. Love is even when they don't talk, but they are still together..._"

By then, Ga Eul felt tears slowly welling up in her eyes.

"_Love is when they tell me and my oppa and my noona that they love us. And love is when we tell them we love them back_.

_Love is just like glue; love is what keeps my parents together, and it's what keeps my family together. Love is what will keep us together till the end of time. The end." _

Yi Jeong and a teary Ga Eul gave their daughter a standing ovation, as the rest of the F4 families cheered her on.

As the applause faded, the Sos went forward, hand in hand, to embrace their youngest daughter, joined also by their two other children.

"All of you," Yi Jeong whispered in the midst of the family hug, "Are the best gift I could have ever dreamed of."

Ga Eul held her family tighter, and closer to her. "We love you all, so much."

And the Sos continued to hold each other tightly, not just in each other's arms, but also, in each other's hearts.

...

THANK YOU for the support and love for this story and the characters :) I will be sure to come back with more stories for y'all! Do check out my profile for other stories in the BOF fandom, and others :)

-R xx


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